Multiple WRT54GL with same chilli.conf ????

[rclark]

Can I do this:

• multiple locations
• each location has one WTR54GL running Chilli
• each WRT54GL has exactly the same chilli.conf

I am really asking:

• can multiple WRT54GL share the same Worldspot.net hotspot acct?

My apologies if this has already been answered on chillispot.org or worldspot.net but I could not find the answer when searching.

Rob

[WorldSpot]

I think it works, but not tested.
This is a reason why I should not charge per hotspot... 
Unless I find a way to avoid that...

[rclark]

Yep - it worked.

Thanks.

This is important as I can produce WRTs that are 100% clones of each other and sell tickets that work on all of them.

[WorldSpot]

Yep but I will find a way to avoid that...
It causes me a big problem with the pricing stucture.

There will be an automatic setup process in some weeks.

[rclark]

Oh 

My issue was a maintenance one.

If I can have all my WRT54GLs 'identical' then if a customer calls 2 years after it was installed and says it has failed - I can ship him a 'clone'. I do not have to keep a database of which customer has which config.

Also - it means I can build a business where a ticket purchased at motel XXX works at motel YYYY if they both use my hotspots.

But - I see your point - I would be potentially paying the same for 100 ( ) hotspots as another customer with one hotspot.

So - is there **ANY** information you get from the hotspot box (the one running chilli) that is unique?
- MAC address of the WRT?
-
So then I could pay for "Max locations (Hotspot MAC addresses) = xxxxx"


And maybe you could have a pricing structure that had extra price for extra active hotspot boxes sharing the same acct?

If not MAC address - then maybe the IP address that the WRT appears to be coming from. Note: The IP address can change if going via an ISP that uses DHCP.....but if I had 10 WRTs at 10 motels you would see requests coming from 10 (max) IP addresses .... even if those addresses were not the same tomorrow as today.

So then I could pay for "Max locations (source IP addresses) = xxxxx"

Thinking out aloud here. You may have some other much smarter idea.

Rob

[WorldSpot]

Ok I can find a solution for the billing. I can differentiate the boxes.

I understand your problem and will find a solution for it (just later...)

Tickets already can roam between all you hotspots accounts if you want it to.

It is just that for your accounting it would be better to have separate hotspots accounts. It is always a good idea of keeping track of your customers. The future reseller features will help you to do that.

I will work on a hotspot monitoring + automatic failover script. This script could also auto configure your hotspot.
I just have to specify better this part.

My idea is: You keep selling your hotspots with the same config. Then to identify them, you can make special tickets, one for each of your customers, and you ask them to login with these. Then in the history, you will be able to identify your customers by finding the customer ticket and note the mac address.

[rclark]

I will work on a hotspot monitoring + automatic failover script. This script could also auto configure your hotspot.
I just have to specify better this part.

WOW - BRILLIANT!! I knew you would have a smart idea! I have sold VoIP boxes in the past where I enter ONE config parameter. That parameter is the URL of a location to download the full config. In this case - it could be chilli.conf. (or some sort of generic install.sh that runs) The user buys teh VoIP box, takes home, installs, and it 'boots up' over the net everytime it turns on. The parameter had the format:

http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/anythinghere/%MAC.file

%MAC was substituted at run time by the unit with the MAC address of the unit. This way - every MAC address could have a potentially different chilli.conf! Also - it allows you to charge based on number of units!!!!

It also allows me to 'disable' a MAC address if a customer does not pay.

This all looks like a possible elegant solution.

I suspect your 'Wish List' is getting longer and longer ... so sit on this idea for a while and think about it.

Cheers

Rob

[BarkingDog]

One problem I have with roaming is how do you keep track of the usage between sites?  Lets say I buy 20hours of Internet Access from location X and use 1 hour.  The next day I move to location Y and spend the remaining 19 hours there.  How do you plan to compensate the owner of location Y, and take the money off location X??

A solution is to purchase the ticket online, so you receive the money first, the track usage rates and compensate the locations at regular intervals.  I'd can think of a few other ways, but it becomes more complicated.

Just some thoughts.

[WorldSpot]

Don't forget that roaming is an option. It is not normal that tickets that are given for free are valid on non free hotspots...
About the same config for all hotspots, there is a security problem with that (radius and uam secret). It is not recommended.
I will find an automatic configuration process based on the mac address (latest versions of chillispot already support that through radius).

However, I have a solution for revenue sharing with tickets and roaming. This will be done with the online billing.
It is a new business model that I think you will like it.
In short, it is a mix with the ticket system and the online billing system with an account balance.

more details soon